Apple made a really annoying change to the main way you send photos to people in iOS 12

Apple has changed the way people send photos through the Messages app in iOS 12.

Whereas in iOS 11, where users only need to click the camera icon in Messages to summon their Camera Roll, iOS 12 will force users to click the App Store button in Messages, and then the Photos button, every time they want to share a photo from their phone.

Though Apple is likely trying to encourage more people to download Messages-specific apps, moving the Camera Roll like this is an extra and unnecessary step that does not feel at all intuitive.

Apple made a really annoying change to the way you send photos to people in iOS 12.

Currently, in iOS 11, clicking the camera icon next to the Messages field lets you either take a picture, or select a photo from your Camera Roll, as you can see below:

source

Dave Smith/Business Insider

In iOS 12, clicking the camera icon only lets you take a picture. To get to your Camera Roll, you need to visit the App Store icon next to the Messages field, and then select the Photos icon.

The only plausible excuse for the move of the Camera Roll in iOS 12 is to encourage more users to visit the App Store for Messages, where you can buy and download features for your Messages like stickers, emoji, and special effects.

Since so many people use the Camera Roll when using the Messages app – I know I do – Apple probably figured that would be the best way to expose users to the App Store for Messages.

But moving the Camera Roll to the App Store, and adding that extra step, doesn’t feel intuitive at all. One would think clicking the camera icon would bring up the camera-related functions.

Hopefully Apple rolls back this change by the time iOS 12 is released to the public later this year.